Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelkusubu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Sunbelkusubu’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; and pale lavender-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunbelkusubu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sunbelkusubu’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new uniform Calibrachoa cultivars withattractive and unique flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in April, 2002 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9CL26, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofCalibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9CL33, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was discovered and selectedby the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since September,2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunbelkusubu has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determinatedto be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbelkusubu’. Thesecharacteristics in combination of distinguish ‘Sunbelkusubu’ as a newand distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant        habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Pale lavender-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants ofthe female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are taller than but not as        broad as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants ofthe male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Sunbelkubu, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,279. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbelkubu differed in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were not as broad as plants of        the cultivar Sunbelkubu.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter internodes than        plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants        of the cultivar Sunbelkubu.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbelkubu        differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunbelkubu        had purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbelkusubu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up oftypical flowers of ‘Sunbelkusubu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, undercommercial practice during the spring in an outdoor nursery. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 14° C. Plants were grown for about four monthswith one plant per 13.5-cm container and pinched one time. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Sunbelkusubu.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9CL26, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 9CL33, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at            temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            mounding to trailing plant habit. Freely branching with            lateral branches potentially forming at every node; pinching            enhances lateral branch development. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 7.3 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 47.6 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 21.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.2 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 7 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outward to decumbent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 9 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Rounded to obtuse.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 144D.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 143C; venation, 137C.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 144A; venation, 138A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.8 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 144D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils. Freely flowering habit with            usually about three open flowers per lateral branch. Flowers            not persistent. Flowers face upright or outwardly. Flowers            not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa            initiate and develop flowers about three to four weeks after            planting. Long flowering period; flowering commences            naturally during the spring and plants flowers continuously            throughout the summer until late autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 3 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Tube diameter.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2.1 cm.            Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: 84D.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.5 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Slightly emarginate with truncate            tendencies. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Petal, when            opening, upper surface: N82B; towards the throat, 155A.            Petal, when opening, lower surface: 85D. Petal, fully            opened, upper surface: N82D; towards the throat, 155A.            Petal, fully opened, lower surface: 85D. Throat: 154B;            venation, 153A. Tube: 154D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About            1 cm. Sepal width: About 2.2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate.            Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:            144A. Color, lower surface: 144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm.            Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per            flower. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 0.8 mm            by 0.8 mm. Anther color: 8C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 8B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:            About 7 mm. Style color: 145A. Stigma shape: Transversely            ellipsoidal. Stigma color: N144C. Ovary color: 144A.            Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to    Calibrachoa.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelkusubu’ asillustrated and described.